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Examining covenant community biblically by Pastor George Toews
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t Rosenort EM Church there are listed 317 Scripture uses various images to describe this members, but only about 257 are active. On togetherness around the centre—Jesus. Ephesians any Sunday 400 people could attend because 5:29 speaks of the “body of Christ,” which reminds of regular non-members. Our Sunday morning atus that Christ is the head and the church is His tendance averages around 260. Who is the church? body. Ephesians 2:19-21 uses building imagery, The way in which belonging to a church is declaring that “in him the whole building is joined expressed is changing. Although together and rises to become many churches have formal a holy temple in the Lord.” membership, some have adopted Along with the centrality The church exists because new structures. Some have an of Christ, the Spirit is the of its relationship to Christ annual covenant; others simply unifying factor in the church. and His Spirit, which results identify those who are actively Ephesians 4:4 reminds us involved in ministry. “there is one body and one in a bond between all who Having a membership list Spirit.” These passages teach belong to Christ. has problems and formal memthe church exists because of bership is changing its forms its relationship to Christ and in some churches. In such flux, His Spirit, which results in a what biblical truths about belonging must continue bond between all who belong to Christ. to be a part of what churches do? This connection was immediately obvious on the first day of the Church. As soon as new believA Community in Christ ers were indwelt by the Holy Spirit, they behaved The meaning of church is identified by Jesus uniquely. They “devoted themselves to the apostles in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three come teaching and to the fellowship.” “All the believers together in my name, there am I with them.” were together and had everything in common” and Church happens when people gather with Jesus at “they continued to meet together” (Acts 2:41-47). the centre. As we read on in the New Testament, the
THE MESSENGER | May 2010
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